Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-05

rev. Mr.. MsBryde and she Young
Hens Chrastian Associations.

AN OPEN LETTER.
|
rev. Hr. MsBryde and she Young
Mems Christian Associations.
Mr.. II. M. Clarke, Secretary State
| Committee Young Mems Christian
association, Richmond, Va
Ny Dear Sir,--Tbe remarkable re-
ports OF my address before the College
| department at our late Convention de-
serve notice. Had the Dispatch and
the Wing only reported me ss " sketch
ing the history Of college work from the
time ofthe I" Reformation and before, f"
and that Sour movement dated from
he time of Luther" / might have
passed the statements by unchallenged,
FOR no one whose opinion value could
have believed me capable OF making
such unfounded assertions. Besides,
the many who heard me know / was
speaking of "wbat the Young Mems
Christian Association could do for the
college, and the college do for the
Young Mems Christian Association Of
the intercollegiate movement. which
began only ten years ago.
But / am reported as saying by the
| Wing that assured my audience
| that our associations can do more for
young men OF college than the Church I"
italics mine), and by the Dispatch that
"the College Association can do more
for young men ct college than the
| Church" And as such reports are
we'll calculated to hinder our work and
antagonize it / notice them on that ac-
count.
] did say and do say that "the col
lege association can do more to win
young men for Christ than the local
churches can, and l gave my reasons.
Even the Christian student, after enter
ing college unless singularly earnest),
regards the church of his Oun denOini-
nation and the minister in charge as
not his oVn. He has left his church
and minister Gt home. Naturally,
therefore, he enters istlessly and in
differently upon the ordinances, often
not attending. No pork is given him
to do. frequently he is unknown to
the minister or church officer. Ii, then,
the Christian student feels himself under
no church restraints, without personal
privileges, when away from home, how
much more the lukewarm and the in
different?
But the College Young Mems Chris
tian Association, which is the union OF
Christian students for mutual help and
aggressive work, has standing COM
mittee whose duty il is TO find out the
status of every man, and then when 3
man is known he is approached by
fellows student, whom he neither avoids
nor dislikes, and is often won for Christ
and His Church ere he is aware of it.
1t takes a student to catch student.
More than this, out Of some hundred
students who have come to me of late
years to consult about their immortal
interests, have found nine tenths in
fuenced to do this by the meetings of
the Association for prayer and Bible
study, or by individual members doing
individual work" But for such an
organization jew students would be
added to our churches during their col
lege days; for without it there would
be no general organized efforts to Sc
cure their personal salvation.
Such fact bears me out in saying
the College Association does more to
win college-men for Christ than any
one church--yea, than all the
churches in a college town joined to-
gether.
l gave other reasons to justify my as
sertion, but need not repeat them.
This, however, must say the blum
der is crime if the statement leads
anybody to conclude the Young Mems
Christian Association lisa church-anew
church-bringing in q new and better
order Of things.
"No man with any right understand
ing of what the Young Mems Christian
Association aims to do ever yet claimed
for il an equal footing and Importance
with the Church" 1t is not of Divine
origin. 1t has no Pentecost for its birth
day. 1t is, as the Sunday school,
branch OF the Church, under the con-
troll of the Church, working in the in
terest OF the Church, and differed by
members of the Church. 1t is an or
ganization of young men Of different
churches, in college or town, working
together for the spiritual welfare Of
other young men. Nor does it fulfil
its purpose till the men brought within
the range of its influence are brought
within the Church.
II, therefore, this movement is
studied without passion and without
prejudice-if the organization is judged
by its origin, principles, or abstract
scheme, not by the mistakes of indi-
vidual members-few will withhold
their approval. All right-thinking and
right-feeling men will bid it Godspeed,
and many will help to speed it on its
Christ-like mission to make the young
men "safe for time and for eternity.
r. j. MCBRIDE.